“Mm-hm.” Micah stood up, a smile on his face.
“Don’t pretend like you didn’t like it.” Wendy nudged Micah. “I saw you get all teary-eyed. You were completely drawn into the magic.”
“A brief moment of sentimentality.”
“Ah.” Wendy held up a finger. “But in thatmoment, you believed in the magic.”
Micah looked at Nick. His friend just smiled and shrugged. “It was a sappy movie,” Micah said. “So, I got sappy. Nothing more to it.”
“I don’t believe you.” Wendy smiled smartly. “I think you reallydobelieve it could happen for real. And it can—to you. If you just give it a chance.”
Her intentions were good but the movie’s effect on him was more negative than positive. It revived the ache in his heart that he had been trying to stamp out over the last few months of celibacy. To some degree, it had been working—until he came home. Until he was around Nick and Wendy again. Their love for one another and display of affection only seemed to magnify his own dire future of a life without love.
Micah didn’t let on that her gentle prodding was beginning to puncture his heart in a very painful way. She meant no harm and he loved her for wanting the best of life and love for him.
He jumped when Nick smacked him on the back. “Come on. Let’s grab a beer and step outside.”
“Step outside?” Micah eyed him. “We gonna rumble?”
Nick grinned. “Nope. We’re gonna drink and freeze our asses off.”
∞∞∞
“What time is it?” Micah tucked his scarf beneath the collar of his thick overcoat and buttoned up, then pulled on his gloves.
“About nine.” Nick bundled up in his own warm jacket and gloves then grabbed a couple beers from the fridge.
“It stopped snowing,” Micah said when they stepped out on the porch. He walked to the edge and leaned against the balustrade, absorbing the winter wonderland all around him. “The air smells so crisp and clean after a snowfall.” He glanced at Nick and smiled. “Out here, anyway. It rarely smells so fresh in the city at any time.”
Nick joined him, and half perched on the rail. He twisted the cap off his beer and took a drink. “You could breathe this fresh air every day if you moved here.” He grinned and took another swig.
“I know,” Micah chuckled. “And don’t think I haven’t been considering it.”
“So, stop considering—and just do it.”
Micah smiled. “I’ll think about it.”
“Shit.” Nick laughed and shook his head. “Thinking about it is the same asconsideringit.”
“I suppose that’s true.” Micah’s smile stretched as he tipped the bottle to his lips.
“So, be honest.” Nick cleared his throat. “Why haven’t you been dating?” His humor tapered off and he stared at Micah sincerely. “What’s really going on, Micah?”
“Why do you think there’s something going on?” The fact that Micah had trouble meeting his friend’s eyes was surely evidence enough.
“I saw the look on your face when Wendy was prodding you about the movie. Something was bugging you.” He shifted against the railing. “Talk to me, man. What’s wrong?”
Micah twisted the beer bottle on the balustrade and stared distantly out over the snowscape. “I did stop dating for a reason,” he whispered.
Nick frowned, his drink slowly lowering as he stared uncertainly at Micah. “Did something happen?” He rose from the rail. “Please tell me no one hurt you.”
“No.” Micah met his fearful eyes. “Nothing like that. I mean…” he looked away.
“What?” Nick remained guarded, tense.
“I think someone did hurt me,” Micah murmured. “But not in the way you were thinking.”
“Someone?” Nick stepped closer. “Who?”
Micah swallowed and blinked back a sudden sting in his eyes. “My dad.”
